


Frostbite

by Doctor_Discord



Series: The Ego Manor [92]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bim and Ed are Such Dads, Derek Deserved Worse, Emotions, Eric Reveals Some Things, Frostbite, Homelessness, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-06-30 06:38:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19847629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doctor_Discord/pseuds/Doctor_Discord
Summary: The egos all know Eric didn't have the best beginnings. But when they catch a glimpse of his scars and Eric reveals a few things, their resolve hardens further topamper and love the shit out of this kid.





	Frostbite

Eric hummed to himself happily as he prepared breakfast, listening to the idle talk of the others. Quite a few weren’t awake yet, it was really just Bim, Ed, Silver, King, and Dark at the table, but even just their stupid, early morning conversation had Eric giggling quietly to himself.

Eric reached up into the spice cupboard, still smiling happily. He flinched violently, however, when he heard the collective gasp, jerking his arm back down to his side and curling in on himself slightly. He spun around, not quite understanding why everyone was looking at him with wide eyes. “What? Wh-what did I-I-I do? Guys…?”

Slowly, Bim stood, approaching Eric hesitantly. Eric cringed back, shifting closer to the counter, and Bim raised his hands placatingly. “Hey, it’s okay, Eric, just…t-turn back around for us. Please.”

Eric obeyed, and he stiffened when he felt Bim lift the back of his shirt. He flinched again when Bim placed his hand on his back, now suddenly _very_ aware of what they were all staring at. He heard Bim draw a shuddering breath. “What… _happened_ to you?”

Eric jerked away, pulling his shirt back down and once again hiding the large, rash-like scar covering most of his lower back, inching toward the corner. “Um, i-it’s a frostbite scar. F-from when we were out on the streets. It’s not my only one, a-and Reynolds has some too…” Suddenly he was rambling, alternating between wringing his hands and picking at the hem of his shirt. “It was… _really_ cold, a-and it snowed a lot…” He shrunk further, now completely pressed into the corner. “Reynolds and I…we were created with sweaters, b-but my dad took mine when night hit, and…he never gave it back. Reynolds and I ended up having to share. We…took shifts. It wasn’t…ideal.”

He let out a small squeak, curling forward and covering his face with his arms, when something shattered, Dark’s ringing becoming almost impossibly shrill. Bim nearly had to shout over it, making Eric flinch more, his breath beginning to come in rapid gasps as he covered his ears. “Dark, Dark _calm down_ , you’re freaking him out!”

Dark’s ringing obediently toned down, if only to make way for his furious hiss. “We should have made that man suffer for _much_ longer than we did,” he spat, his aura snapping wildly.

Eric squeaked again, beginning to tremble, and he heard someone push their chair back. “Shut the fuck up, Dark, you are _not_ helpin’!” And then Ed was pulling him into a comforting hug, almost crushing him against his chest, with Bim rubbing his back soothingly.

“How did we not know about this sooner?! Surely Dr. Iplier must’ve known!”

Eric nodded, pulling back from Ed in order to face Silver, adjusting his glasses. “D-Dr. Iplier found them earlier, when he, um, wh-when he checked me for bruises after the first time you kicked my dad out. I…asked him not to say anything. Didn’t want to worry you guys. Reynolds was the same, i-if you want to ask him.”

He cringed back at the sight of Silver and King’s horrified expressions. King had yet to say a word, just stared at him with tear-filled eyes and a hand over his mouth. Eric just shifted closer to Bim, who laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. Eric shrunk, wiping at his eyes, but then stiffened when he smelled something burning. “Oh _crap!_ ”

He spun back to the stove, self-consciously tugging at the bottom of his shirt as he prodded at the burnt eggs in the pan with a fork. “I-I-I’m sorry, I didn’t – I don’t do anything right, let me just –”

He didn’t mean to start crying. But when the first sob escaped his lips, he found he couldn’t stop. His shaking hands caused him to drop the fork into the pan, and then he was dropping into a crouch, covering his eyes with his forearm and sobbing brokenly, tears trailing down his face. He flinched, curling into a tighter ball, when he felt someone lay a hand on his back. A warmth pressed against his side, and Bim was whispering in his ear. “Hey, it’s okay, Eric, it’s not your fault. Do you want me to help you?”

Eric nodded wordlessly, leaning into Bim as he helped him stand. Bim wrapped an arm around his shoulders, kissing his temple before beginning to scrape the burnt eggs into the trashcan. He lifted his head to face Eric, shooting a glance he couldn’t read over Eric’s shoulder, presumably at Ed. “Hey…you know we love you, right? We’re not…we’re not gonna hate you for something you couldn’t control.”

Eric nodded stiffly. “I-I-I know, but –” He jumped when he felt something _warm_ drape across his shoulders. He spun around, tilting his head and giving King an odd look, unconsciously pulling King’s cape tighter around himself.

King just smiled at him, helping him fasten it around his neck. “I can survive without it for the day. Here.” He plopped his crown on top of Eric’s head, too, flashing him a wide grin and making Eric giggle before retreating back to seat at the table.

Bim cracked a couple eggs into the newly cleaned pan before glancing at Eric, smiling softly. “My son in my boyfriend’s clothes…I’m content with this arrangement. Could get weird, though.”

King instantly flushed bright red as Eric laughed again, brushing away his tears. Ed smacked Bim on the back of the head before moving back to go sit down as well, prompting Bim to childishly stick his tongue out at him before pulling Eric toward the stove. Eric smiled as Bim gently guided his hands, speaking low and feeding him instructions, and he burrowed deeper into King’s cape. It smelled like pine sap and peanut butter, which was odd, but…comforting all the same.

And – slowly – Eric felt the walls he’d surrounded himself in beginning to crumble.

**Author's Note:**

>  _MY POOR BABY BOY NOOOOOOOOOO_ I swear I love Eric guys, I just can't help it! Anyway, Sunday's story is _fun_ , I mean genuinely _fun as Hell!!!_ Y'all enjoy genderbends right? ;)
> 
> Tumblr: doctordiscord123.tumblr.com


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